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A prominent mining cooperative in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has firmly denied recent allegations made by the United States linking it to illegal mineral trade and collaboration with armed groups in the country’s volatile east.
Earlier this week, the U.S. Treasury Department announced sanctions against the Cooperative des Artisanaux Miniers du Congo (CDMC), accusing it of being involved in the unlawful sale of minerals from Rubaya, a mineral-rich area in North Kivu province. According to Washington, the minerals, including coltan, were smuggled out of the region under the influence of armed factions.
The sanctions also targeted the Coalition des Patriotes Resistants Congolais–Forces de Frappe (PARECO-FF), an armed group allegedly allied with Congo’s national army and said to have controlled mining activities in Rubaya between 2022 and 2024. Two Hong Kong-based exporters were also included in the sanctions list.
In a statement issued late Wednesday, CDMC insisted it was a victim, not a collaborator, of the ongoing instability. The cooperative claimed that its mining concessions have long been under the control of armed groups, leaving it unable to manage operations lawfully.
“We have suffered immense losses due to the presence and heavy taxation imposed by armed movements such as PARECO-FF and, more recently, the M23 rebels,” the statement read. “These forces have deprived us of the ability to operate in compliance with legal and ethical standards.”
The developments are part of a broader push by U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration to address the worsening conflict in eastern Congo. Earlier this year, the Rwanda-backed M23 insurgent group launched a rapid military offensive, seizing control of Rubaya in April 2024. The resulting clashes have claimed thousands of lives and displaced large numbers of civilians.
Rubaya is globally significant for its vast deposits of coltan, a mineral refined into tantalum, prized for its heat resistance and use in electronics, aerospace engineering, and medical devices. The area is estimated to supply roughly 15% of the world’s coltan, making it a key strategic resource in the global tech supply chain.
While the U.S. sanctions aim to disrupt funding streams for armed groups, CDMC maintains that its own role has been misrepresented and says it remains committed to lawful and transparent operations, once the region’s security situation allows.